Grassroots action for a safer, more just world

1,000 too many

Today marks a heartbreaking milestone in the US’s misguided military engagement in Afghanistan. 1,000 American soldiers—fathers, mothers, daughters, sons—have perished in the war. It’s difficult to know exactly how many innocent civilians have died alongside them, but the United Nations has documented a steady yearly increase in civilian death. While we mourn this tragic loss of life, we must also organize for a better way.

As we go about our daily lives, we receive a sanitized view of the war in Afghanistan. Politicians who are putting our troops in harm’s way and approving attacks with robotic warplanes that kill innocent civilians do not often come face to face with the staggering human cost of war. The media spends hours interviewing generals who assure us that things are “turning around” in Afghanistan. Meanwhile, Congress is preparing to vote on a massive $59 billion war funding bill, and retired General Barry McCaffrey estimates 300-500 soldiers will be wounded every month in Afghanistan once the surge is complete.